While Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel isn’t leading the NHL in points, he’s nonetheless well in the hunt to earn the Hart Trophy. Through 38 games, Eichel is on a monster pace, with 50 points and 10 goals.
Yeah, his goal total may be a little low to some of you, but with 40 assists, he’s more than proven to be one of the NHL’s top playmakers. Of those 40, 13 have come on the power play, meaning Eichel has also more than proven he’s one of the best out there on Vegas’ special teams units.
While plus-minus is a subjective statistic for many hockey fans, it’s worth noting that Eichel’s plus-23 is pacing the NHL. That said, he’s arguably the league’s most well-rounded forward, and there’s a good chance he’s just now heating up as we steamroll into midseason.
But, even if Eichel keeps up his current pace, he’s looking at ending the year with somewhere between 107 and 108 points and between 21 and 22 goals. Again, his number of goals is on the low end, but the playmaking has just been nearly off the charts.
Former Sabres forward Jack Eichel has a legitimate chance at the Hart
Now, Eichel will face intense competition as he tries to carve his name onto the Hart Trophy, with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon leading the league with 64 points and Leon Draisaitl pacing the NHL in goals with 28 (57 points).
Still, heading into Saturday night, Eichel is a healthy eighth in points this season, and you can argue that nobody has played a larger role in the Vegas Golden Knights resurgence in 2024-25. He leads the team in points, and it’s not even close, with Mark Stone in second with just 32, though it should be noted that Stone has played in just 24 games as opposed to Eichel’s 38.
Shea Theodore clocks in at No. 3 with 31 points in 37 games, and Ivan Barbashev is fourth with 30 points in 31 contests. But, given the time Stone has missed and injuries to players like Barbashev, it should further play into Eichel’s hand that he deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as other Hart Trophy contenders.
Yeah, Eichel may need to see his goal total increase if he wants an ultra-serious shot at winning the Hart. But he remains on a decent path to end up as the best player in hockey, even if he kept up his current pace.